Internalized weight bias, or negative feelings about one's own weight, influences the success people have after undergoing weight loss surgery, according to a recent study.

Researchers from the Geisinger Health System found that as ratings of internalized weight bias before surgery increased, weight loss success twelve months after surgery decreased. The study is considered the first and only study to examine internalized weight bias in relation to post-surgical weight loss success in adults.

Internalized weight bias adversely affects many overweight people. Studies have shown that weight bias stems from personal perception or societal views that overweight people are personally accountable and at fault for their body weight. These overweight individuals feel -- or think others feel -- they lack the willpower, discipline and treatment needed to lose weight. In addition, people who are highly vulnerable to negative feelings about their own weight are more likely to experience low self-esteem and depression.

"How an individual internalizes weight bias relates to depression before surgery as well as overall weight loss success twelve months following bariatric surgery," Michelle R. Lent, investigator and clinical psychologist at Geisinger's Obesity Institute, said in a statement. "Future studies should assess the impact of early weight bias screening and intervention to promote better psychological health and weight loss results."

For the study, researchers measured the degree to which the participants internalized weight bias by developing negative self-attribution as a result of these biases. They leveraged Geisinger's electronic health record and its existing bariatric surgery database along with psychological surveys.

They identified high levels of internal negative thoughts and feelings in about 40 percent of preoperative participants. In addition, greater weight bias was associated with greater depression. On average, most participants were white females with a preoperative mean body mass index (BMI) of 47.8 kg/m² and a postoperative BMI of 32.5±6.1 kg/m² 12 months after surgery.

The findings were published in the journal Obesity Surgery.